Hill warns vessel owners
THE Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji has warned ship operators that they will be dealt with should they not follow proper procedures while berthing at the Natovi and Nabouwalu jetties.
Patterson Shipping, Goundar Shipping and InterLink Shipping provide services to and from Natovi and Nabouwalu on a daily service.
In a marine notice issued in October, MSAF acting chief executive officer Captain Philip Hill outlined three requirements for all shipowners and their vessel masters to follow.
“That ships are prohibited from occupying Natovi and Nabouwalu berthing facilities after completing their operations,” he said in the notice.
“To maintain their respective ship’s schedule with minimum delay and to maintain mutual co-operation and respect with others in as far as their shipping operations are concerned.”
Capt Hill stated ship operators who fail to comply with this marine notice will be dealt with under section(s) 50 and/or 51 of the Maritime Transport Act 2013.
Section 50 deals with unnecessary danger caused by holder of maritime document and states, “where a holder of a maritime document in respect of any activity or service to which the document relates, acts or omits to act, causes or permits any act or omission, where the act or omission poses unnecessary danger or risk to any other person or property, whether such injury or damage does or does not occur, commits an offence”.
Section 51 is on dangerous activity involving ships or maritime equipment and states, “any ship or maritime equipment in a manner which causes unnecessary danger or risk to any other person or to any property, irrespective of whether or not in fact any injury or damage occurs, commits an offence”.